The King of Israel (1:43–49)

The King of Israel (1:43–49)

Philip trusted Jesus and followed Him when Jesus called him. We don't know what kind of heart preparation Philip went through, since God usually prepares someone before He calls them. We know that Philip showed his faith by trying to share it with his friend Nathanael.

John 21:2 says that at least seven of Jesus' disciples were fishermen. Nathanael was one of them. Fishermen are brave and do their jobs even though they have a  difficult occupation. However, Nathanael was a skeptic at first. He didn't think anything good could come from Nazareth. Our Lord was born in Bethlehem, but He grew up in Nazareth and had to bear the ridicule and skepticism that went with that (Matt. 2:19–23). To be called “a Nazarene” (Acts 24:5) meant to be looked down on and rejected.

Philip used our Lord's own words, "Come and see" (John 1:39), when Nathanael hesitated and argued. Later on, Jesus would invite, “Come … and drink” (John 7:37) and, “Come and dine” (John 21:12). "Come" is God's great invitation to grace.

Nathanael found out that Jesus already knew everything about him when he came to Him. What a shock! By calling him “an Israelite in whom is no guile,” Jesus was certainly referring to Jacob, the ancestor of the Jews, a man who used guile to trick his brother, his father, and his father-in-law. The name of Jacob was changed to "Israel, a prince with God." The reference to “Jacob’s ladder” in John 1:51 confirms this.

When Jesus revealed His knowledge of Nathanael, where he had been, and what he had been doing, this fact was enough to convince the man that Jesus indeed was “the Son of God, the King of Israel.” He had the same experience as the woman from Samaria at the well. "When He [Messiah] comes, He will tell us everything." "Come, see a man who told me everything I did" (John 4:25, 29). The ministry of local churches should also help people see what's in their hearts (1 Cor. 14:23–35).

Philip told Nathanael about Moses and the prophets as proof (John 1:45). Maybe Jesus taught Philip a "quick course" in the Old Testament Messianic prophecies, which are predictions about the Messiah found in the Hebrew Scriptures, like he did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13ff.). It is always good to connect our experiences to the Word of God.

"King of Israel" would be like "Messiah, anointed One," because the kings were always God's anointed (see Ps. 2, esp. vv. 2, 6–7). People wanted to make Jesus king at one point in His ministry, but He said no (John 6:15ff.). He informed Pilate that He was born a king (John 18:33–37) and did declare Himself King (John 12:10ff.).

Some students think that Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person. John's gospel doesn't mention Bartholomew, but the other three writers do. Philip and Bartholomew are listed together in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, and Luke 6:14, so they may have been "paired off" and worked together. It was common for one man to have two names back then.